A Sundance Film Festival program designed to increase diversity among media members covering the annual event in Park City boomed in popularity in the initiative's second year.
For this year's festival, 51 journalists were selected out of a pool of 319 applicants to receive travel stipends provided in the program, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The chosen writers are women (61%), LGBTQ (49%), minorities (84%) and people with disabilities (25%).
The festival runs Jan. 23-Feb. 2.
Sundance officials created the Press Inclusion Program in 2018 after a study by USC Annenberg's Inclusion Initiative that two-thirds of movie critics were white men.
Movie blogger Rendy Jones was among the participants in the inaugural program last year. The 21-year-old black and nonbinary writer from New York called it an "amazing" experience and the highlight of his year.
"I met so many different people from different fields — industry and filmmakers," Jones said.
Jones missed the deadline to apply this year and briefly panicked, but raised enough money from a GoFundMe account to pay for airfare and rideshares from Salt Lake City, where he's staying with a friend, up to Park City. He runs a website called Rendy Reviews.
Sundance officials said they are looking for ways to improve the program, including moving up the application process so people who aren't selected have more time to make alternate arrangements.
Netflix and the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes are among organizations backing the initiative.
In a blog post about the program, Sundance officials said the lack of diversity among movie critics can have "a a chilling effect on rich discourse and collective dialogue. The post was written by Sundance's director of outreach and inclusion, Karim Ahmad, and the director of media relations, Spencer Alcorn.
"It can ultimately underserve the artists we showcase at the Sundance Film Festival, by limiting the critical voices that discuss their work," they wrote. "This, in turn, can directly affect how audiences meet that work."
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More